Canada Day, in fact.
At first blush, it’s pretty hard to find a Canadian flag in Calgary.
There’s one at Centennial Park (as you might expect) and a few at the
Palliser Hotel. TD Centre has a whole bunch on both facades of its downtown complex.
But by far, it’s the Stampede flag and banner that dominates in Cowtown, which is kind of a shame.
I do have this one, though, in the photo library. It’s from the Salt Lake City Olympics, back in 2002. A few of us went down on a whim. You know, to show the colours.
I did manage a few photos of the Canada Day cricket matches down at
Riley Park. Now what can be more Canadian than cricket (unless it’s
the pickup ulti game going on just beside the pitches).
And so yes, it’s Another Canada Day. We’ve brought Elliotte down to
Prince’s Island for the afternoon. To listen to some music and mingle
with our fellow Calgarians. In truth, it feels like we’re in the ethnic section of the park, which is a good thing. Why is it that the most enthusiastic and proud of Canadians tend to be those who are newly arrived?
Anyhow, it’s Ellie’s first, of course, and we both (la
Fille ™ et moi) want to continue to be doing these kinds. With her.
The band I especially came down to see is Mocking Shadows. A good old
rockin’ ska/funk band. I’ve seen them many times, and they seem to be a staple on Canada Day. They’re from Calgary, too.
Musically, on a Canada Day, I’m reminded of a few particular, and
uniquely Canadian tunes. Four Strong Winds, by Ian and Sylvia.
Helpless or Harvest Moon, by Neil Young. Northwest Passage by Stan
Rogers. Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
Ti’s choice is Bobcageon by the Hip. My Hip song would be Wheat Kings.
They’re all good, but one stands out from every other, and that’s one
by Stephen Fearing. The Longest Road. I’ll try to upload it.
And so, tonight. Canada Day Evening. We won’t be doing fireworks or the Jim Cuddy concert down at Olympic Plaza. Elliotte’s on a schedule after all.
So off I went to prepare for a typically Calgaryian Canada Day – Blockbuster. It either that, or partying downtown and drinking all night. Alone.
I chose, purely on spec, a bit of a documentary. Douglas Coupland’s (of Generation X fame) Souvenir of Canada. It’s a typically Canadian kind of production; quirky, cuttingly cutting (to coin a phrase) and to the point.
It’s perfect.
Happy Canada Day to you all.